Not a Shepherd
by ThatOneGuyThatWrites
Summary: Red finds himself in Ylisse, and he isn't too thrilled.
1. Chapter 1

Red looks down at himself, confused. He is sitting in a small pool of muck, beside a well-worn, currently empty, dirt road. He wasn't wearing the same things he was when he went to sleep, in fact, he doesn't remember waking up. Or even making his way out to the middle of nowhere, and sitting himself down in a puddle.

With a groan, Red stood and made his way up a small hill to the road. He stands still and looks to his left and right. There is no sign of any other person, no power-lines, no cars, no mailboxes, no distant city skyline. He glances down at himself, noting that he is wearing what looks to be something from a Dungeons and Dragons game.

"Huh..." He mutters to himself, checking his pockets for his phone or anything at all. Like he had expected, he finds nothing. With a shrug, Red decides to go left. He walks slowly, the situation not quite catching up to him.

Red looks upwards, towards the sky. The clouds are grey and rolling violently, a sure sign of a storm. He sighs, somehow feeling that he was going to be caught in the middle of a rainstorm. Step after step, Red continues down the path. He feels the faint burn of too little exercise and too much fast food in his legs.

"So this is either a dream...or I'm in some other world..." Red mumbles to himself, unsure of what to think. "Really realistic dream, all things considering...Then again, aren't most dreams super-realistic until you wake up, then you realize how silly it was?" He pondered out loud, a common occurrence since he lived alone.

Thunder boomed above. Red sighed.

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Red was noticing the area become less and less dense with forestry, and gradually shift into rolling fields. He could see for quite a ways all around him, but still no sign of any civilization. He huffed and continued to follow the road into another patch of dense forest.

The road bent and twisted around old looking oaks. The path becoming quite narrow in some places. He stepped over a wide puddle, using his arms to balance himself.

Finally emerging from the trees, Red was greeted to the sight of civilization! Or, what he could assume it to be. The houses in the distance were made of stone, straw, and wood. A large river ran through the centre, and smoke rose in great clouds from the town. Faint alarm bells and screaming could be heard.

"Ah shit..." Red mumbled, taking off into a light jog. He couldn't run, asthma and being out of shape a large factor, but also because he didn't quite want to get involved. Sure, he needed help, pretty badly, since he had been walking for what he assumed to be two or three hours, but he also didn't want to play the part of a hero. It wasn't his style.

Finally arriving at the town, Red quickly examined his surroundings. A lot of buildings were on fire, some people in vaguely medieval-looking garb were running away, and some shirtless guys with axes were terrorizing others. Now that he thought about it, those guys looked almost exactly like the bandits from his new...Fire...Emblem...game.

A thought crossed Red's mind for a brief moment, only a moment. ' _It can't be. Been reading too much fanfic stories...'_

" **ARC THUNDER!** " A loud voice shouted from somewhere behind Red. A moment later, a large bolt of lightning flashed briefly in the air, before striking a shirtless axe-wielder in the chest.

Red held his breath and closed his eyes, praying internally. ' _Please not Robin. Please not Chrom. Please. Please. Please.'_ He swiveled in place, finally opening his eyes.

He was met with the iconic face of Chrom, Robin, Frederick and Lissa.

"...Fuck..." Red breathed.

"Is...everything alright?" Chrom asked, planting falchion in the cobble road.

Red worked his jaw up and down slowly, deciding what to say.

"Nope!" Red yelled, throwing his arms up in the air. "Fuck it! I'm out!" He continued, brushing past the four Shepherds and walking away from the town. He mumbled under his breath and disappeared around a stone wall, face confused and angered.

"That was certainly..." Frederick began.

"...Odd..." Lissa finished.

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Red walked down the road, his brow furrowed. "Fuck this!" He yelled at the ever-growing storm in the sky. "I'm not doing some join-the-Shepherds happy fun-time bullshit!"

A loud clap of thunder echoed across the land.

"Yeah, yeah..." He waved, continuing to walk down the dirt road. "I can't even fight! Don't tell me I somehow learned how to do it too! I'm still pretty fat and asthmatic. I guess I could try magic..." He put a hand to his chin. "Nah! I'm not getting involved! The game already has them win! You don't even need the spotpass characters! I'm just gonna go find a nice place to live. Maybe become a blacksmith or some other medieval-bullshit job..."

Red huffed, crossing his arms and examining a decrepit road sign. ' _Ylisstol'_ With a shrug, Red turned and walked towards the capital.


	2. Chapter 2

Red set the hammer down, wiping the sweat from his brow. He wiped his hands on his stained apron, feeling the callouses brush against the rough fabric. He breathed out once, stepping out from underneath the roof into the dying light of day. He placed his hands on his hips, giving a slight nod.

It had been almost five months since he had found himself in the world of Fire Emblem Awakening. Five months since he had shed whatever plans any gods had placed on his shoulders. Maybe the gods had summoned someone else from his world, someone who would pick up the sword instead of leaving it in the dirt.

That, or he was in a coma and experiencing the most vivid and detailed dream ever.

He rolled his shoulder, feeling the muscles burn from a long day of work. He had followed through with his plans, and become the apprentice to an ageing blacksmith in the small town of Dungrad, closer to the border with Regna Ferox.

The village itself was nice, isolated far from the main roads and relatively cut off from the war with Plegia. In fact, only once had soldiers visited to recruit more for the ranks. Red, of course, had respectfully declined.

Far off to the north, he could pick out jagged mountains rising into the sky, tops covered in snow. A river ran through the village, a source of clean drinking water and power for a decently sized saw mill. The saw mill saw the main source of income for Dungrad, trading the wood to merchants in Ylisstol.

The village was quite small, with only twenty homes. About thirty to forty people lived here, most married couples with children or teenagers. Some elders, other single hunters or retired adventurers. Red had so far been bunking with his employer and teacher, Elkath, near the edge of town. On his off days, Red had been using his meagre income to slowly but surely build a home just next door to the blacksmith's. He may have been a bit too ambitious, but it was his dream to have a larger home for a family.

"Stop day dreamin' boy!'" A voice called out from the blacksmith's hut.

Red grinned. "Yeah, yeah..." He waved and turned back to the anvil, picking up the hammer.

"What you thinking about now?" Elkath asked.

Red looked up, examining the gnarled older man for any trace of sarcasm. Finding none in his scarred face, Red shook his head and brought the hammer down. "I...was just thinking about home."

"Home? Where was that again? I don't think you ever told me." Elkath asked, running a sword along a weathered whetstone.

"Hm." Red breathed. "Far from here."

"Far? Like Valm?"

"Yeah." Red replied absentmindedly.

"Ah. I see." The two men continued to work in silence for a time. The loud bangs of the hammer on steel, and the grinding of iron on stone. Elkath broke the quiet monotony of labour. "You miss home?"

Red paused, holding his hammer mid-swing. "Not quite." He sighed lightly. "You know when you're a kid and you dream of travelling the world and becoming a hero?"

"Not really, but sure."

Red flashed him a deadpanned look. "Anyways, I always wanted to save the world or something big. Then, when I got that chance...well..."

"Well?"

"Maybe this isn't the best way to phrase it..."

"Fer gods sakes boy, spit it out. I only got a few more years left in me!" Elkath chortled.

"I didn't really come to Ylisse of my own free will, it just sorta happened."

"You want to go back?"

"...No. I like this life here. Far from blood, monsters, and gods. Honest work and a meal is all I need, really."

"Hmph." The old blacksmith hummed, returning to his work. With a shrug, Red followed suit.

In a way, he was being honest. Red did not enjoy life back home. Living in a large Canadian city in the middle of winter was a different sort of hell. Yet this life, here in some fantasy world, that was interesting. It suited Red more than anything available to him back on earth. He enjoyed the quiet, the calm. The spotlight of an epic tale was nothing worth wanting, in his mind.

"Yeah." Red grinned. "I like it here."

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Red heard the news, and it shocked him for a brief moment. Exalt Emmeryn was dead. Killed by Gangrel, king of Plegia, in a great public display. Red gave what respects he could, a simple nod and silence. He didn't meet the exalt, nor did he really care. He knew what was going to happen. That when this war ended in a few months, that peace would settle for two more years. Then, the war with Valm and the coming of Grima.

It unsettled Red, even if slightly. He was now a part of this world, by choice or not. He was now living under real gods, Naga and Grima, and he had to follow some sort of protocol. Red sighed, leaving the rest of the crowd to surround the messenger.

He got a few good steps away before he felt a tug on his sleeve. Turning around, Reflet was met with Sara.

Sara was a pretty girl, with long blonde hair and bright green eyes. She was almost abnormally short, some even mistaking her for a child. A petite frame and modest clothing, she stared up at him seriously.

"What is it?" Red asked politely, unsure of what to do.

Sara seemed to puff up, cute in its own way, and grabbed onto his hand. She tugged him along quickly, away from the centre of the town. Eventually, she pulled him into her own small home. It was a small shack, falling apart at the seams.

Sara stood in the centre of the shack and pointed to a door. With a raised eyebrow, Red put his hand on the latch and pushed. The door swung open with a loud screech and it almost looked like it was going to fall off the hinges.

Red turned back to Sara. "You want me to fix this?" He asked.

Sara shook her head, a clear ' _No'_ Seeing his confused face, Sara began to mime out hitting an anvil with a hammer. Red masterfully held back a smirk. It was unbecoming of a gentleman (Wow, Maribelle would have loved that phrase) to make fun of a lady's condition.

Everyone in the village knew of Sara's affliction, or it was assumed to be an illness. She could not talk. Whether it be by choice or not, Sara was living her life as a mute. She was knowledgeable though. She could read and write, that got her through most of her day.

"Alright, alright." Red raised his hands. "I get it, I'll make you some new door hinges."

Sara smiled widely and nodded.

"Alright, I'll see you later." Red said, making his way to the front door.

A small tug once again stopped him. Sara was looking towards the floor, a light dusting of crimson on her cheeks. Red's breath stopped in his throat. It was no secret that she was absolutely adorable, and Red was quite fond of her. She motioned over to an old iron stove, a small teapot sitting on top. Red sighed quietly.

"I'm sorry, Sara, but I got to get back to the blacksmith's..."

Sara nodded and let go of Red, depressed.

"But, I promise to come have some whenever the old man lets me, okay?"

The small girl grinned up at Red, her eyes wide. Red nodded and set out back to work.

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Red sighed and loaded the last box of weapons onto the horse-drawn cart. The war with Plegia was reaching its peak, and if Red had to guess Gangrel would be killed within the next few weeks. Still, with war on everyone's minds he, along with every other blacksmith in Ylisse, had been paid a small sum to prepare weapons and ammunition for the soldiers.

Red looked to the side, seeing Elkath speaking with the merchant in charge of his shipment. He breathed out slowly and lazily slouched forward onto the back of the cart, taking a quick breather. He had been spending more time with Sara lately, and a part of him was wondering if it would have any sort of impact on the time-line.

Of course, he knew that Lucina and her band of friends travelled back through time to stop Grima. Red wondered if he had any sort of impact...if he had any future children. It was foolish, considering he wasn't even in the Shepherds and no one outside of the group had children go with them to the past. Still, a part of him held out a small glimmer of hope.

Then that inevitably led his train of thought to who would be the woman to raise a child with him. Red tapped a finger to his chin. The first person that came to mind was Sara. Of course he had a slight crush on her, she was really attractive, even if she didn't have a lot to say.

He scoffed at his own internal joke.

Rolling his shoulders, Red cast a glance at the setting sun. It was getting closer to winter, and he was really trying to finish his home before then, lest he be buried in snow. It was actually coming along quite well, all things considering. The roof was finished, and the exterior walls. Flooring was done is most rooms and most of what was left was to build a stone fireplace and finish the interior.

"RISEN!" A vocie shouted out from the centre of town.

' _What?'_

Red sprinted to the centre of town, spotting a breathless man in torn clothing. He had wide eyes, and was cut in a few places. "Risen!" He coughed. "Just over the hillside, a whole pack of them! They'll be here before dawn!"

Red pinched the bridge of his nose. "I really hope this is one of those towns that Chrom saves..."

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 **AN - Well, didn't really expect to continue this, but I am going to finish it. This story has been on my mind for the better half of over four months, but I only decided to write it now. It isn't going to be long, maybe five or six chapters, and that's stretching it. Anyways, my arm is almost better, and I'm going back to work in a week or so. Other than that, good day.**


	3. Chapter 3

Red pulled back the bowstring, attempting to calm his shaking hands. He focused himself and let loose the arrow. He watched as it flew through the air, flying straight and true. The wooden arrow dug itself into the large hay bale...three feet under the target hanging from the barn wall.

Red sighed and passed the bow to Sara, refusing to meet her smirking face. "Fine, fine, show me how it's done." He said stiffly.

Sara grinned and expertly drew back the bow, not even taking a breather to focus like Red had. A second later the arrow was embedded in the yellow circle, just centimetres from the bulls eye. She stuck her tongue out and passed the weapon back to Red.

"Show off..." Red muttered, drawing back the bowstring to try again.

The entire village was preparing for the oncoming horde of Risen. Red had been issuing weapons to the men of the town, and some women who were adamant about fighting. Older folk and children were busy barring windows and doors, as well as spreading an appropriate amount of food among the three larger homes designated as 'Survivor Homes'. These three homes were to be protected at all costs. Inside the homes, people were securing everything they could.

Red had been volun-told to fight. He was not against defending these people, but as he was demonstrating he was no sharp-shooter. Nor was he any sword-fighter, or lance-wielder, or anything else he could think of. It seemed that he was going to be quite useless in the fight.

A small part of Red's mind was still nagging about magic, and how he could potentially use it. He had asked around, just as a precaution, but he had found nothing. Not a single person could use magic, and because of this no one had any tomes in their possession.

Red sighed.

He really was just going to end up swinging an axe around wildly, looking like a fool.

"Damn Shepherds better show up." He grumbled.

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Red sat on the rooftop of the blacksmith's shop, beside Sara. Any other time, and he would have considered this quite romantic. The stars were out, the winds were soft and just the right temperature. The moon was bright and not a cloud was to be seen in the sky.

He cast a side-long glance at the woman, admiring her face. She looked serious, ready for a fight, far from the adorable young girl he had been having tea with a week ago. She was wearing tight leather pants and a leather vest, with a small quiver hanging from her hip and a bow across her lap. She dutifully scanned the horizon, watching for the army of undead.

Sara caught his glance, and gave him a light slap on the arm. She frown and pointed to the horizon. Red nodded, and turned his gaze back to dark fields of wheat. He was hesitant to break the silence, as if the words he said would bring the Risen to them.

Silently, he watched on.

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It was well after midnight when he heard the alarm bell ring twice from the other side of town. He bolted upright, hand resting on the small hatchet hanging from his waist. Sara stood and immediately vaulted off the roof, landing in a neat roll. She looked up a Red with concern in her eyes.

"I'm coming!" He called and followed her, landing painfully on his hands and knees. He groaned and stood. "Not all of us are acrobats." He sniffed, catching the smirk Sara had tried to hide.

The two ran across town, the trip taking less than a minute. It was a small town, after all. When the two rounded the corner, they were met with the sight of blood. Three Risen were tearing apart a townsman with weapons and claws, his mouth open in a silent scream. Two Risen had Elkath pinned to the wall of a home, axes and swords striking the wall. For an older man, he was quite agile.

Elkath spun and sliced a Risen clean across the stomach, the creature falling to the floor in a pile of ash. The second raised its weapon high, intent on killing the man. An arrow suddenly implanted itself in the Risen's shoulder, knocking it off balance. Elkath capitalized on the Risen's stagger, and drove his sword deep into its chest. The man caught his breath while the ash fell around him.

Red watched in shock as the man leaned against the wall and locked eyes with him. "What the fuck are ya lookin' at? Fucking help them!" He yelled, pointing with his sword behind Red.

Red looked behind him to find four Risen peeling away the wooden reinforcements on the windows of a home. Through the wooden slats, he could see a group of people crowded around a single candle, all screaming.

Red swung the hatchet in a neat circle, eyeing up the horde. Beside him, Sara dropped to one knee and pulled back her bowstring. A second later, she released an arrow. It implanted itself in the wall next to a Risen, the creature not even noticing the threat behind it.

Red jogged towards the Risen, watching as more crested the top of a hill to his right.

"Fuck." He breathed.


End file.
